The Legend of Zelda:How Many Evils?
by zeldaholic13
Summary: DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Legend of Zelda! Our Hero is eight years older now, after all of his adventures is said and done, he dedicates his life to becoming a knight to continue keeping Princess Zelda safe. This is my first fan fiction I have done in a very long time, my grammar and punctuation has never been very good. I hope you enjoy nonetheless.
1. Chapter 1

The Lost Woods. That's where I was raised, at least, the first ten years of my life. After leaving the forest I traveled all across the land of Hyrule, even all the way to Termania. I had met so many people and different races, even the princess herself, The Princess of Destiny, Zelda. But it wasn't all fun and games. I faced so many things that I wouldn't even wish on my worst enemy. The world was in a plague of darkness for seven years until the Hero of Time came out of his slumber and brought light to the darkness. The Hero of Time. Me. Link.

From the forest, to the desert. I traveled the world of the dead, to the deepest waters and the highest volcanos. I even destroyed the worst of them all. Ganondorf. And when it was done, when Hyrule knew light and peace once more, The princess herself brought me back to my own time, to live the life and childhood I deserved. She meant well but I wouldn't have changed one thing about it. I had learned so much, grown so courageous. After stepping off the alter of time, my closest friend and companion, Navi, left me. I didn't know why she left, but I knew I had to find her.

Before starting my new journey, there was one thing I needed to know. Did she remember? After a serious case of Deja vu, I found her in her courtyard. Many thoughts ran through my head. Did she remember? Did I even want her to remember? Did our journey across the land go unnoticed by a simple song? But then, she turned around. She remembered! I wasn't the only one to carry this burden of memories. After telling her about Navi's sudden disappearance , she wished me well and returned the Ocarina of Time to me, and told me to never lose faith. The Goddess of Time will always see me when I'm in great peril.

With our goodbyes I set out to go where all Lost things go, the Lost Woods. With my trusty horse, Epona, we set out to find her, to make sure she was ok. Next thing I remember a strange, yet familiar, masked imp was robbing me. I thought I saw Navi in the chaos. No, it couldn't be. Could it? I didn't have time to think about it. I needed to get Epona and the Ocarina back or else I would have nothing left. Nothing.

I had entered another land of Termania. I again had to go to the farthest desert and the deepest waters. The snowiest peak and the most dangerous swamp. I set free four giants, travelled in time more times then I could count and banished another evil, Majora. Becoming another Hero. In another time. Another land. And with nothing to show. My friend was still Lost.

I found my way back to Hyrule and gave up hope to find her. That was a different seven years ago. I am now the fiercest knight of Hyrule. I was givin the highest duty, to protect the Princess herself. It was then I found the real reason she sent me back to my original time. She wanted us to have a real childhood, more importantly, she wanted to share it with me. And we grew close in the past relived seven years, not fighting, but growing, and playing and loving, together. Of course as we grew we had more duties and couldn't see each other everyday. After all she is a queen in training and I'm very busy with my knightly duties.

"Ready to head home, Epona girl?" She whinnied in responce and so I hopped onto the saddle and set her at an easy pace until trees became few and far between and she set forward at a gallop, North to castle town.

The sun was just setting when we rode up the road to the castle. I always thought it to be beautiful in the setting sun. The dimming sun painting the white castle in orange, red, and sometimes purple. I stared up at the natural beauty that the goddesses set on this land for us to enjoy, but I didn't stay long in fear I would be late in meeting with Zelda. We had impromptu dinner together on my days off in the courtyard. It was no easy task. The princess was expected to be in bed straight after dinner and her afternoon bathing, but on days like this she would shoo away her hand maids and sneak out, hidden in a dark cloak and behind a suit of armor in one of the hallways to a secret exit to the courtyard. It was a half hour before she appeared with a basket full of bounty for us to share together. I greeted her with a deep bow.

"Link you know such formalities don't need to be taken when we're here." she placed her hand on my shoulder with a smile.

"Old habits die hard I suppose," I chuckled "But you will be my queen one day and I should practice in case I slip in public." I returned her smile and offered her a seat on the lush green grass, and took the basket from her.

"Some things will just never change with my knight in shining armor." Zelda fake gushed over me, her hands clasped together and under her chin.

"How was your day, Highness?" of course i knew how her day was, she just passed her seventeenth year and her father, or rather his advisors, liked to call it her 'prime courting years.' so she has been seeing different suitors all week. She was a wildfire when she found out.

"Do you really have to ask?" she glared "I had to deal with three more big headed, full of themselves, wannabe kings! They were so stuck up. One of them, Ronaldo you know the Duke of Nelor, he would talk of only himself and the powers he has in this home town. He didn't ask one question to me and he kept calling me Zellie." I let her rant trying to keep my laughter down.

"I rather fancy the name Zellie." I pushed my luck, and failed once I got a swift slap on the shoulder. "O.K. O.K so no 'Zellie.' What's for dinner I'm starved!"

The Princess opened the baskets lid and pulled out an array of foods. There was duck, and fish, bread, some sweet treats and Hyrule's famous bread pudding that was only served on special occasion banquets.

"Bread pudding?" I questioned.

"Father and his advisors think it a special occasion, myself finding a suitor, so we've been having the big banquets all week. I'm rather sick of it, I miss simple dinners with just my father and I." I could feel for her. I've never had a simple dinner with my parents. I was orphaned at a young age, and on my mothers' death bed, she brought me to the Kokori forest. The last safe haven in Hyrule

We ate and I told the Princess about my day.

"I decided to go to the woods and enjoy the peace it gives me. The deku scrubs were especially playful, and Saria and I played her song to all the living things on the forest."

"It's nice to hear Hyrule is enjoying peace again." Zelda sighed contently. I could only agree.

"Who are you seeing tomorrow?" I had forgotten to ask earlier.

"Ruffio of the Southern Isles." she let out a disgruntled noise.

"Would you like a deadly escort for the evening?" I gave her my best brave face to make her laugh, it worked.

"Thank you, but I think I can handle a Prince of Fools on my own."

I helped her pack the plates and waterskin she had packed and lend her a hand up.

"I'm back on duty tomorrow, so I will see you then, Highness." I gave her another deep bow and she retreated back through the secret entrance and I headed back to the barracks. "Goodnight Impa," I couldn't see her, but I knew she was there. She was always there.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

Left down the next hallway, then the second right. I had to stay far enough away, but close enough to see. This has been my job since the suiters have been here. I made sure to follow close to the Princess and the Prince of the Southern Isles to make sure things didn't go south fast. There was something about Ruffio I just didn't trust. Things have seemed to be going well enough except he may be on to the unwelcomed follower, he was making haisty turns at random, but I saw right through him. There was no way I would lose them. I caught a few words they shared.

"This is a magnificent kingdom... Never seen such beauty."

"...best gaurds around... no one tries anything out of line here."

Good, Zelda didn't trust him either. She only brags about the gaurds unforgiving nature of traitors to the ones she doesn't trust. Hyrule has the best gaurds this side of the world has seen, but few know how serious we are about the job. Another left and they stoped in a parlor and sat on one of the dozen seatings that were layen about. I hid behind one of the great pillars and looked to my left. Of course Impa was behind the next one, I didn't even hear her behind me, but I should have known. Impa three her hands in different signs, signs that the millitary use when the spies are trying to keep quite. It took me a moment to translate them.

_I got it from here, go back to the barracks and get some rest for your night shift._

I signed back to her.

_I don't trust him alone with her or alone for that matter. Keep a close eye on the two of them. _

She only nodded in responce, I came around the column and gave a deep bow to the royal duo and headed to the barracks, but not before Zelda gave me a knowing look. I returned it saying I'll explain tonight.

Sundown. That's when my shift starts. I escort Zelda to her bedroom for the evening and stand watch at her door until sunrise. I filled her in on my distrust of Ruffio, she was silent for a while, then she finally spoke.

"I agree with you whole heartedly, some of the things he said worries me." she cupped her chin with her hand.

"What things did he say?"

"Things others wouldn't give a second thought to, but, being the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom, I saw through him like a window. He asked of the imports and exports of Hyrule and so forth. He even asked what my crown jewels were, 'In the Southern Isles, ours our ruby and mother pearl.' he told me."

"Do you think hes after the jewels?" I asked working through it.

"I think he's after more than that, let us put our mistrust behind us for now, he may just be playing 'my horse is bigger than yours'."

I agreed, we may just be over cautious because of the peace in Hyrule, what was to us 14 years ago, there was war everywhere. We still are not use to peace at our age.

Lost in thought I nearly collided into the Prince himself, I hadn't gotten a closer look at him before. He had green eyes, and rather shaggy brown hair. I noticed he prefered white dressings rather than Hyrules favored lavender, he had one hand placed in the folds of his dress coat.

"Ah Princess Zelda, fancy seeing you this part of the castle." he gave her a prize winning smirk. "I don't believe we have met, I am Ruffio, Prince of the Southern Isles, have you been?" he turned to me. I bowed while he spoke.

"I'm Link, a knight here in the castle. I'm sorry i cannot say i have, the farthest I've been south is to Termania."

"What a shame." he turned back to Zelda, "may I escort the Princess to her room?"

"No, Thank you Ruffio, Link here is on duty to watch over me for the afternoon." Zelda replied a hint of bitterness in her tone.

"Shame, Well sleep tight Highness, I hope to see you tomorrow." he bowed to her where she curtseyed lightly and we parted ways. Out of earshot Zelda started up again.

"He has been like that all day, I'm lucky to go to the bathroom without him less than five feet behind me!" We arrived at her door, I opened it for her.

"Perhaps a hot bath will help calm you, Highness. If you need anything I will be just outside."

"Thank you Link, really." I gave her a wide smile.

"Anything for you, Highness, anything at all. Sleep tight. And sleep a bit more for me." she returned the smile and closed her door.

And so Ruffio's follwings went on for a week. I was on post at her door around midnight, when something shuffled to the hallway. With my hand on the hilt of my sword, Impa came into view.

"Impa." I nodded to her, which she returned.

"Glad you take your job seriously Link, I wanted tto talk to you about the Prince of the Southern Isles."

"He's leaving tomorrow isn't he?" I couldn't help the excutment in my voice.

"If you would be patient," oh, no. She was scolding me. "The kings advisors rather like him, and have asked for him to stay another week. Keep up your work, I don't want him to be alone for one second, I will be posted at his door, he is not to leave at night without an escort."

"A knights job is never truly done." I sighed.

"Luckily it's second nature to you." she placed her hand on my shoulder and retreated down the hall way, no doubt to her post outside Prince Ruffio's room, I was in for a long week.

"Father, this really isn't necessary, I am not interested in suitors! I'm sorry you and your advisors do not believe I will be a great queen without a husband. However I _know _I will be the greatest queen Hyrule has ever seen." Zelda was livid when she found out Prince Ruffio would be extending his stay. Not even bothering for her hand maids to fix her hair, she stormed into her fathers office early in the morning.

"Zelda, my dear, I do not doubt you will be a wonderful queen. It's our people I worry will doubt your greatness. The people of Hyrule have not seen a queen rule alone in a very long time and I worry they will not take you seriously." The king placed a hand on his desk, leaning on it. I have not seen him so stressed in a very long time.

"Then I will prove it to them." and with that, Zelda stormed out of the study.

I looked at the king nervously and bowed to him, he nodded and I followed after the Princess. I could see both sides of the royal coin, while Zelda would be a grat queen, I don't know how the people would react. I have seen Zelda in the courts, she is so regal when we aren't alone. Zelda holds her head high and doesn't falter easily. The future queen in her could prove she would be the greatest since the first queen Herself. We ended up in the courtyard, Zelda threw herself on the grass.

She was beautiful in the spring grass, her hair flowed around her like a halo of light and her dress spread around the wild flowers. Beautiful Cobalt eyes hidden under soft pink eyelids. Light red lips relaxed, and dainty fingers entwined on her chest. She was surly a sight to see, the goddesses put her on this land for us to enjoy, a natural beauty like Hylia herself. I laid next to her and stared at the beautiful face. One eye opened to look back at me, and shortly after a smile.

"You will be a wonderful queen, husband or no," I smiled at her "anyone who talks to the king like that would be a great leader, the look on his face was priceless." we laughed.

"Thank you, it did make me feel better watching his face."

We stayed there soaking up as much of the early morning sun, but soon it was time for breakfast and I had to get Zelda to her room to finish her morning routine of getting ready for the day. I took her hand to help the royal girl off the ground.


End file.
